SEROPREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS-E VIRUS INFECTION AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AT CHATTOGRAM, 2018

Abstract

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a growing cause of acute viral hepatitis and gastroenteritis around the world. Bangladesh is an endemic area of HEV associated with epidemic and sporadic infection and seasonal outbreak. The aim of the study is to better describe the sero-prevalence of hepatitis E virus in selected hospitals of Chattogram district among the admitted patients. A total of 505 patient data were collected from 10 different hospitals during the period of 12 months from January to December 2018. All the Blood samples were tested for HEV in Anti-HEV IgG and IgM through ELISA Procedure. The sero-prevalence of hepatitis E virus in Chattogram was recorded as 35.05% (n=177; 95% CI: 30.9-39.4). Prevalence in outbreak area was found higher 73.4% (n=80, 95% CI: 64.1-81.4) than non-outbreak area 24.5% (n=97; 95%CI: 20.3-29). The odds of infecting HEV in rainy season was significantly (2.2 times) higher (OR=2.2; Cl: 1.1-4.1, p=0.02) than the winter season. Male patients represented consistently higher infection over the year and they were 2.5 times more (OR=2.5; CI: 1.5-4.1, p=0.001) affected than the female patients. In case of age, HEV was significantly higher in 41-60 years category (OR=3.3; CI: 1.5-7.4; p=0.003). The odds of HEV among the patients consuming municipal supply water (OR=13.5; CI: 6.8-26.7, p=0.000) and not treating with boiling (OR=40.9; CI: 18.5-161.6, p=0.000) were significantly higher. The result indicates the importance of modern molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for reliable diagnosis of hepatitis. Moreover, identification of further risk factors associated with the occurrence of hepatitis E virus would help to take proper strategies for the prevention and control in this area.